Discharge Book numbering from WW 2 to 1972 for British seamen

[Michael Hammersley]

Michael Francis Hammersley
R 853247 1967

[Paul Slingsby]

I've done some research on Discharge Books and Discharge A numbers from WW2 to 1972 to try and get an idea of the turnover of British seamen over the period.
Typical numbers issued for various years are

1940 R 217400
1943 R 230000
1945 R 310000
1956 R 658000
1965 R 816000
1972 ??? Was R prefix still used at this time.

I would be grateful for feedback on whether these numbers look reasonable and also for some information on the numbers issued around 1972.
thanks
David Snook

My Dad had a Dicharge book number R332275 which was issued 7th July 1945. The first post states he was indentured to Athel Line ltd from July 1939 to. The reason being his ship was sunk 15th March 1941 by the Scharnhorst. He spent 4 years in POW camp. I assume his original book was lost and he was given a new one with a new number.He did another trip as a cadet and finally made 3rd Mate on the 10 August 1946. Quite a long Apprenticeship

[Hugh]

I assume his original book was lost and he was given a new one with a new number.He did another trip as a cadet and finally made 3rd Mate on the 10 August 1946. Quite a long Apprenticeship

Hi Paul,
I don't think he had a previous book. He was an apprentice on the ATHELFOAM when he was taken as a PoW. He actually did some of his second mates ticket while in Milag Nord camp. Dis. A numbers were not issued to indentured apprentices, only when they completed their indentures so that Dis. A number would be his first.

Regards
Hugh

[Ivan Cloherty]

My Dad had a Dicharge book number R332275 which was issued 7th July 1945. The first post states he was indentured to Athel Line ltd from July 1939 to. The reason being his ship was sunk 15th March 1941 by the Scharnhorst. He spent 4 years in POW camp. I assume his original book was lost and he was given a new one with a new number.He did another trip as a cadet and finally made 3rd Mate on the 10 August 1946. Quite a long Apprenticeship

Quite an experience. As an 'indentured' apprentice he would have had a Discharge Book issued, but there would be no entries in it until after his indentures were completed. The ships he served on during his apprenticeship would have been notated on the back of his indentures, or on a separate letter attached to his indentures.

[j.sabourn]

Ivan I must have been one of the few if more than me . My first voyage to sea , the master made a mistake and gave me a discharge , he should never had done so but he let it stand . As you say my seatime is on the back of Indentures , Cheers JS

Will always remember that master from Shields he was a big man and fat with it, very unusual for the time quite young late 30 s. He died very young of natural courses . He left more money than people expected and the company were immediately suspicious of how he had accrued , they wanted an Inquiry, whether they got it or not wouldn’t know as at that moment in time I had bigger things on my mind. JS

[Ivan Cloherty]

they wanted an Inquiry, whether they got it or not wouldn’t know as at that moment in time I had bigger things on my mind. JS

Anything to do with the three girls you mentioned in another post

[j.sabourn]

Nah l they all had their own legs. JS

[Des Taff Jenkins]

John
You said he was a big man and died of natural courses, how many courses did they used to serve him?
Des

[j.sabourn]

#358 The master who died before his time was Jim Howie from South Shields Maybe Cappy knew of him. The only reason I remember his name was is the only one in book for the first 4 years at sea. JS.

[j.sabourn]

#361. Of course I could say it was the the sweet course was the cause of his early death as the Cook put too much custard with the apple crumble . And being one never to refuse a challenge he took on more than he could chew. However it was a couple of years after I sailed with him that he passed away. I remember him also as the only master who released me for 2 days leave after my first trip , maybe hoping I would not come back , those two days included travelling time Purfleet to Newcastle , and Newcastle to Cardiff .He nearly got his wish, if my old man had kept his mouth shut on opening the front door and saying Well have you had enough ? He wanted me at home with him , he was a hard man to work with , would have been rowing all the time , that’s rowing not rowing with the sculls not skulls . Cheers JS